All posts tagged Wildlife

..is usually caused by a trouble maker, likely to be something like the Jay. This typical British woodland bird can be a bit of a thug when it comes to dealings with it’s fellow residents. The commotion and squawking accompanied by shaken falling leaves is not easy to miss, in the furore of fluttering feathers you may catch the indisputable sight of the Jay. It tries to raid their nests and they are not at all happy about it! Easy to recognise with its buff underparts and azure blue marking of its upper wings, its headgear is equally brazen with white and black marking.

It’s one of the our crow family and although not usually known for being shy with other birds they are with humans, they don’t like to hang around long in one place and will be off once they spot you, making its distinctive raucous call as it goes. Bully they may be, but beautiful as well, now thats a combination!

I enjoyed making this bird with my usual papier mache body and individually torn paper feathers. I like to get a more varied colour palette out and loved doing the striking black and white markings on it’s head, and the unusual eyes. I added a bit of extra interest with the bits of tree bits. The hand finished rustic frames I use seem to complement the theme.

This picture measures 9 1/2″ x 9 1/2″ so is one of my larger pieces and makes quite an eye catching bird artwork.

Dave has luckily managed to get a few pictures of this bird over the years, and here is one for you to enjoy.

Who can admit to not getting a little heart flutter and smile, when a lovely little Jenny Wren, starts frantically darting about on the garden wall in front of you?

This little brown bundle will be intently hunting for tasty insects in the moss and crevices amongst the stones. Their pointy little beak expertly designed for the job in hand of removing spiders from the webs, so carefully constructed. Usually preferring to stay almost hidden in the undergrowth beneath well grown hedges, it’s the movement that gives it away…

All of a sudden a few leaves are being thrown about a few inches off the earthen floor, something is going in, then out of the corner or your eye you think you have spotted a little brown field mouse, busy scurrying about its daily business. Then you catch sight of it again briefly, and you see a little tail sticking up out of the back end of it. After straining your eyes to follow all the action you realise it is no mouse, it is our little manic Wren.

It also has a powerful voice that comes out of that little body, usually one of the earliest starters on bright spring mornings. This is not a bird to be ignored.

I have done a papier mache Wren before but I think this one is the best so far. When you see pictures of them close up, you suddenly become aware of all the different markings there are on their plumage that you simply cannot normally pick up on, as they simply damn don’t stay still long enough!

So this was an ideal opportunity to show off the real beauty of one of out favourite little garden birds. The paper was chosen and torn into little ‘feathers’ as usual (very little on this occasion). But it was finished off with a little more touching up of paint than usual to highlight all the subtle details. A few people visiting my studio have said they thought it was a real bird and can’t believe it’s all made out of paper, I think I will take that as a compliment.

It will get a few more admirers this weekend as we have an open weekend at Higherford Mill, Barrowford. 10th & 11th December 2016 10-4pm. lots of Artists will be opening their studios so will be lots to see and buy. I’m on the first floor at the front of the mill if you fancy visiting.

How many of you in Britain have seen this bird of prey? If you have you are a lucky bunch as unfortunately it’s not often sighted nowadays. It is a shy bird and prefers to hunt up on the high moorland and mountainous areas. It is our smallest falcon but more than makes up for its size with courage, and effective hunting skills, focussing mainly on smaller birds.

This is my first attempt at a bird of prey, apart from the Little owl and it was a bit more of a challenge for me. As usual all paper with a paper mache modelled body, paper feathers, and metal wire & paper coated talons all finished off with painted details.

The distinctive markings on its chest and other feathers require an accurate attention to detail whilst finishing the piece off with paint to give it it’s distinctive look. The beak is curved and designed to rip flesh to shreds, and those yellow talons are impressive on a relatively small bird and more than up to the job in hand. The large eyes on the side of its head are designed for almost 360 degree radius vision and miss little. A keen mean killing machine!

When I finished and mounted it, Dave said he had a double take at it when he came in and said it had real impact. I think that is a compliment.

Of course you can check out my other birds by clicking on the Etsy shop link at the top of the page.

When we visited Orkney in May/June, we loved the different bird life we saw there, especially the seabirds around the dramatic rocky coastline.

But what we really wanted to see was the Puffins, we had done a little research and it seems these birds liked certain points on the Island more than others. The more windy and exposed the cliffs were the better it seems.

We first went to the Brough of Birsay, we had to wait for the tide to go out before we could walk over the causeway to the small Island. The ancient Viking settlement and graveyard was fascinating to walk around. Due to the safe position overlooking the shore you can see why this spot was chosen in an age where it seems battles were never far away.

Windy and exposed was certainly a feature of this rocky outcrop, where it looks like one side has sunk down whilst the other was jutting up and out into the North Sea. We battled up the hillside against the wind and walked around the top edge of the Island, where apparently the Puffins hang out on the cliff edges. After scanning the cliffs for about an hour we saw… one! Oh and a feral cat, which may or may not be connected.

The next Puffin adventure was to be the northern Island of Westray about an hours ferry ride from the mainland. We set off nice and early and first walked around some of the archaeological sites along the bay, this was brilliant as a team had had just uncovered a stone age well on the beach, still filling with Crystal clear water. Then it was off to see what we had come for, so we hopped back on the bus down to a spot on the coast known for Puffins, by this time it was very windy and starting to rain a little. There were various rocky stacks standing out from the cliff edges, and after binoculars were trained on the right spot, sure enough there were some Puffins. Not lots of them but enough, it was a joyful sight to see their clown like faces and made the weather trying to blow us over seem insignificant. Apparently the best time to see them is early in the morning or evening when the males are leaving or entering the burrow. Also, we were a little early in the month another week or so later and there are more to see, but we were happy we had met the little chappies even if it was through the binoculars.

Puffin – Westray, Orkney

So I have been keen to make my artwork into one of these birds ever since, and at the top of this page is the finished bird, it just needs its little wooden sign on the top to add yet. But I really enjoyed the process particularly the last bit where I added the details on it’s distinctive eye and beak which really brought it alive. It will be on display at a show we are doing at Scorton Village Hall, Lancashire this Sunday 23rd of August. So if you fancy coming along please do, lots of talented artisans will be there. Click here for more information.

We are hosting our first Arts a Flutter fair this Saturday, 20th June, outside the Town Hall, Blackburn, Lancashire. The event promises to be quite an exciting day and is organised by the local council and titled ‘The Countryside comes to Town’. There will be an animal petting park, street entertainers, craft and food stalls and lots more, if you are in the area it will be worth a visit.

We have been busy preparing our items to sell. Since our visit to Orkney I have been much inspired by the beautiful natural landscape and local wildlife of the area. We were privileged enough to have a Hen Harrier visit our cottage garden whilst there, it was literally feet away.

Hen Harrier and Puffin range.

This majestic bird unfortunately is increasingly rare in most of the UK, it is feared because of persecution by the grouse shooting industry. Unbelievably this bird is quite common there and along with the Puffins and Short Eared Owl we had quite an avian treat.

Tweed puffin purse.

Whilst Dave was clicking away with his camera, my mind was working through new ideas to add to our range of bird themed gifts. Inspired by lots of Tweed fabrics I saw, I decided to combine the bird with the cushion and came up with these, a Puffin and Hen harrier cushion. Whilst working on these it gave me the idea of making the coin purses, I was really happy with these and think they have worked really well. We have got lots of cards and framed pictures and with my collection of 3d pictures we should have a nice collection for our stall. Here is some pics of my new stuff.

We’re back from our 2015 holiday in Orkney. This post is very pic heavy so I won’t make it even more painful by waffling on too much but in short, what a place! Weather was better than we thought it would be, a little breezy at times but no worse than what was left behind in east lancashire. Obviously the wildlife and landscape is different from home, Orkney is quite flat and open, not too many drystone walls, just mainly fences but all this helps with providing many great skies and views. Also, if you are into archaeology then Orkney is the place to be, both on the mainland and the surrounding islands. Anyway, on with the pics in no particular order..

Former crofters cottage – A regular sight all around Orkney

Ha Cottage awaits – At the end of a track about a mile from the main road…bliss!

Lambs in the garden keeps the mower in the shed..

Early morning double rainbow – 4 vertical shots stitched together in the new version of lightroom.

Sinking sun at Ha Cottage

Daffs at sunset

More daffs and cattle

Cottage with a view

Atmospheric sky

Another morning, another rainbow from the garden

Moving on to the local wildlife..

Oystercatcher – these birds were virtually resident in every field in Orkney

Oystercatcher – Nesting on a bridge

Ringed Plover – See how they blend in to their natural surroundings

A nervous Catherine and I at Yesnaby

Puffins were high on my list, unfortunately we were probably a couple of weeks or so early but we did see a small number from distance..

Puffin on Westray

A closer view of a lone Puffin at Yesnaby

Fulmar

Shag..

Seal at Yesnaby

Yesnaby Castle

Cliffs at Yesnaby

Bluebells

Kirkwall – Orkney’s capital

A few birds…

Passing Gannet at The Brough of Birsay

A formidable Great Skua – Did you see one drowning a Puffin on Springwatch the other night!

Stonechat on heather

Lapwing

Hooded Crow – Very flighty birds

The humble House Sparrow in the garden

Skylark

At distance – Red Throated Diver

Meadow Pipit

Tern on the Turn

Swallow

Short Eared Owl in the heather

Short Eared Owl on Birsay Moors

Finally, a bird at the top of my list, one I had good views of both the male and female but unfortunately the camera wasn’t to hand so this distant shot of a female is all I have.

Hen Harrier (female)

Apologies for the lengthy post, hopefully something will be in this little lot to inspire Catherine’s latest bird art :o)

I always like to try to create something a little bit different with my Art, not really different, like mad and wacky. I don’t really do mad and wacky, it’s not really me, but something with a little twist to it, something that makes you step back and think hmmm for a few minutes trying to decide whether it is to your artistic liking or not.

I don’t want to completely distract from my depictions of 3d birds and eggs, because that is what I want viewers to appreciate the most. But I guess my art is a reflection of me as a person and I find that is the case generally with Artists, I’m not the tortured type that likes to disembody things then put them in pretty settings, designed to lead you into a false sense of security then when you get there you go “what the…”
yeah it can work for some. Lots of well known Artists employ that tactic and it works well for them. but it’s not me.

Tracey Emin likes to lead you into a pretty tent with all the names of her ex lovers written on it… not what you really expect in a tent is it? But with me I think you can pretty much see where you are going with things right from the start, but with a gentle not unpleasant twist that just gives you enough food for thought so you don’t immediately think yeah ‘got it’.

I personally think real life has already enough startling images to shock you on a regular basis, you just need to turn on the TV without having to turn to Art for more shock value. But some people like that and who am I to judge anyway.

So I guess my Art can be compared to a gentle meander down a country lane on a summers day, you think everything is in order with the world. The wildlife is where it should be and what it should be. You are comfortable and at peace and nothing is too taxing for the mind, then you get to the end of your meander down the picturesque country lane and turn the corner. Behind the trees in the long grass in the field in front of you is a Zebra, it appears to be a tame one. Now you was not expecting that.

You wonder how it got there, why it is there, where it came from? But ultimately everything still seems quite wonderful to you, if a little quirky and you can continue on your way with a little smile on your face and a question in your head. An interesting walk, you may come this way again to see what is in that field.

Tell me what you think of my new work I would love to hear your feedback.